Spectacle cases



D. E. EVERBURG oct. 4, 1966 SPECTACLE CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 2, 1964 .A T TOR/VE Y Oct. 4, 1966 D, E. EVERBURG SPECTACLE CASES Filed July 2, 1964 INVENTOR DONALD EEVERBURG BY AT MRNEY United States Patent O 3,276,572 SPECTACLE CASES Donald E. Everburg, Southbridge, Mass., assignor to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Filed July 2, 1964, Ser. No. 379,864 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-5) This invention relates to spectacle cases generally and more partic-ularly to cases which are foldable for storage when not in use and securable in that position for other uses such as for containing coins.

Persons having s-unglasses or regular eyeglasses, which .are used only part of the time, frequently carry an empty spectacle case for them when the glasses are not in use. Such cases, presently used, are approximately six inches long and two and one-half t-o three inches wide and are bulky and cumbersome to Istore on the persons clothing. If put in the breastpocket of a mans suit, it protrudes and detracts from his appearance and is easily lost by slipping from the pocket when the man bends forward. If placed in a womans pocket-book, it usually covers the length of it, thereby obscuring a large part of the other contents and making access more difficult.

Also, large sunglasses require larger cases and are usually worn with light summer clothing which has little room for storage.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable spectacle case.

A more specific object is to provide a foldable spectacle ca'se, whi-ch is easily stored on the person when folded, with means for holding the case in that position to thereby provide a coin container or the like when the spectacles are not in the case.

These and other objects are accomplished in one preferred embodiment of the invention wherein a spectacle case is provided with an elongated body having sides, a bottom, and an opening at its top, covered by an extending closure ilap. Also, flexible forward and back portions of vinyl or the like are provided with divided ren inforcing means to facilitate folding the body substantially in half. Furthermore, the closure ilap is provided with a button hole or one-half of a snap fastener, which is selectively engageable with buttons or mating h-alves of the snap 4fastener in two positions, one position being adjacent the open end of the case and at the top -of the forward portion and the other position being on the back portion near the bottom or closed end of the case. Thus, the case can be closed in its full length position with spectacles contained therein, or the case can be doubled over at about its middle with the glasses removed and secured in that position, with the closure flap extending across the end and secured to the button or snap half near the bottom of the back portion of the case, from which the flap extends.

Other objects, features, and embodiments of the present invention are contemplated, all of which will be apparent from the following more detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the spectacle case according t-o the present invention, showing the forward portion, a side and the cover of the case;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the spectacle c-ase of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a full section view of the spectacle case of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is an enlarged View of a part of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a full section View of the spectacle case shown in folded position according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention;

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FIG. 6 is a full section view of the embodiment of FIG. 5, sh-own along plane 6-6 of that view;

FIG. 7 is a view of the embodiment of FIG. 5, with the case shown in folded position; and,

FIG. 8 is a folded-position view of a still further alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a spectacle case is shown as comprising sides 10 and a bottom 12 with gusset construction 11 therebetween, and forward and back portions 14 and 16, respectively. Flap 18 extends from the back portion 16 to cover the top opening of the case. A snap 20 and a socket 22 are provided on the iiap and the top of the forward portion, respectively, for securing the spectacles in the case. Further socket means (shown with reference numeral 24 in succeeding figures) are provided at the bottom of the back portion for securing the case in folded position. (It is to be understood that button and button-hole means can be used to secure the case.) Reinforcing means 26 each divided at substantially the middle are provided in each of the forward and back portions of the case to facilitate doubling the case about its middle. The entire case is stitched with suitable thread 28 in `order to hold the reinforcing means 26 and also to `secure a lining 2S, if it is desired.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the spectacle case of FIG. 1 showing reinforcing means 26, which may :be of a metal `sheet ber or plastic or a stiffened fabric, held in place by stitching 28. Also, the second socket 24 is shown and will be described subsequently as the means for securing the case in its folded position.

FIG. 3 is a full section view taken through plane 3 3 of FIG. 2 and clearly depicts the relationship between the forward and back portions of the case, respectively, and the divided reinforcing plates 26. The accordion sides of gusset construction are `also clearly shown in that figure. FIG. 3A is a partial view of the full section drawing of FIG. 3, showing more clearly the three-layer construction, which comprises a lining 25, reinforcing plate 26 and the forward cover material 14, with the reinforcing means being held in place and the three-layer construction being secured by stitching 28.

The case, according to the aforementioned description, is foldable substantially in half to form the configuration of FIG. 4, -which may be used as a coin container or the like With the snap 20 securable to the socket 24 for holding the container in the position shown. Furthermore, it is easily seen that such a container, with or without contents, is easily stored in `a persons pocket or in a womans handbag, with the case taking up very little storage space in either place.

Alternate embodiments are within the purview of the present invention, and one such embodiment is shown in FIG. 5, wherein a fabric case is formed in one piece, Without the accordion or gusset construction of t-he previously described preferred embodiment. Futhermore, since this embodiment is of one-piece construction, the stitching 28 of the previous embodiment may be dispensed with. The body of the case is formed, for instance, of slush-molded vinyl or the like with a lining 25 cemented therewithin. The advantage of using such a material is its capability for retaining flexibility for folding, with .stiffness being provided for holding glasses by reinforcing means 26, similar 4to such means used in the construction of the preferred embodiment. Therefore, FIG. 5 shows a case comprising forward portion 14', back portion 16', a cover 18 extending from the black portion, a lining 25' cemented or otherwise fixed within the case to hold divided reinforcing means 26 in place, and a bottom 12. Also, the cover 18' comprises a snap 20', corresponding to the snap 20 used in the previous embodiment; with the forward portion 14 of the body having a socket 22 and the back portion 16 having a second socket 24. A full section view through plane 6 6 of FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6, more clearly depicting a threepiece construction of cover, reinforcer, and lining similar to that used for the preferred embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the configuration of FIG. 5, with the case folded substantially in half and `securable in that position by snap 20' and socket 24.

Another embodiment is possible if one accordion side of the preferred embodiment is retained in the case of FIG. 5 to provide -a triangularly shaped opening at the top of the case.

A further alternate embodiment is shown in FIG. 8 as comprising a one-piece body 34 with a snap 30 and a single socket 32 for use similar to that of the other embodiments. However, it may be seen that the embodiment of FIG. 8 dispenses with the use lof -a cover of the type used in the previously described embodiments.

What I claim is:

A spectacle case comprising an elongated body having an accordion bottom, an opening at its top, a forward wall, and a back wall; rst securing means on said forward wall near said opening, second securing means on said back wall near the bottom of said body; a cover extending from said back wall near said opening `and for covering said opening with third securing means on said cover, which means is receivable by said first securing means when said body is in an elongated position; said body having two reinforcing members Within each wall Iand being yfoldable substantially in half along a single exible section of each of said walls between said reinforcing members, to produce la floreshortened and narrow case transversely, when said body is in folded position said third lsecuring means is receivable by said second securing means to maintain said folded position; and, said two walls being connected by accordian means with gusset construction between said accordi'an means, said walls and said accordian bottom,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 920,852 5/1909 Flanagan 15G-1.7 X 1,104,463 7/1914 West 15G-1.7 1,606,107 11/1926 Simms 150-1.7 1,666,704 4/1928 Hunter 15C-1.7 2,909,276 10/ 1959 Steceman 206-5 3,070,141 12/1962 Lowy 150-38 X FOREIGN PATENTS 167,018 10/ 1954 Australia. 947,917 1/ 1949 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner'. 

